to make one more attempt to work out a deal to overt the so-called fiscal cliff. in unison, his pals in the news media repeated this white house talking point. >> president obama cutting short his vacation in hawaii, heading back now to washington. that will happen tonight to work on the fiscal cliff deal. >> the looming fiscal cliff is forcing president obama to cut short his christmas vacation. >> president obama is cutting short his christmas vacation. he is leaving hawaii tonight so that he can be back in washington when congress reconvenes tomorrow. >> laura: so we should believe that by leaving his island enclave that the president was making some big sacrifice for the country? i'm thinking washington, crossing the delaware on a bitter christmas night 1776 before going on to defeat the british in two major battles, that's sacrifice. i, for one, never understood how in good conscious any of these politicians would think about leaving town with so much riding on this cliff hanger? shouldn't they get their work done before they leave town for a break? that's wh